We show you the steps to achieve perfectly fried croquettes without them breaking, whether you have industrial pre-cooked frozen croquettes or delicious homemade croquettes in your hands.
Although frying croquettes is a relatively simple process, if you don’t follow a series of rules, the result may not be as expected. Frozen croquettes are always a great option to have on hand and prepare a starter in just a few minutes, since a good frying will be enough to have them ready, regardless of whether they are homemade or pre-cooked.
How to defrost frozen croquettes
To defrost frozen croquettes correctly, first place the croquettes on a tray and leave them in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours. This way, they will keep their shape and consistency when fried. Ideally, they should also be covered with cling film, and stored in a zip-top bag or in a Tupperware container to prevent them from absorbing odours from the fridge that affect their flavour.
It is very important to avoid defrosting the croquettes in the microwave as this will negatively affect their texture. If you defrost the croquettes in the microwave they will become too soft and could completely fall apart when fried.
Just as it is essential to know how to freeze and store homemade croquettes, to defrost frozen croquettes correctly, it is important to follow specific steps to ensure their quality and texture once they are fried.
How to fry frozen croquettes without them opening and leaving them crispy
If you want your frozen croquettes to be perfect when you fry them, we assure you that by following the steps correctly and taking into account our advice you will be able to achieve croquettes that are golden and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. This is how you should fry frozen croquettes, whether they are frozen or homemade.
How to fry frozen croquettes in a pan
To fry frozen croquettes in a pan, the first thing you need to keep in mind is that the pan has a thick bottom so that the heat is evenly distributed. Then we will put enough oil to cover at least half of the croquettes with oil.
The temperature of the oil is key. A surefire trick to know if the oil is hot is to heat the oil until a small piece of bread is introduced and it starts to bubble and turns golden after about 30 seconds. It is essential to fry the croquettes in batches so that the temperature does not drop.
If the croquettes are pre-cooked, it will be enough to fry them for a few minutes until they are golden on the outside. Depending on the size of the croquettes, they will need 3 to 5 minutes to fry completely. If you are going to fry frozen homemade croquettes, you should bear in mind that the dough will be more delicate and variable in consistency, so we recommend that you use a skimmer to turn them over and do so gently so that they do not break. The frying time will be between 2 and 4 minutes depending on the size of the croquettes.
How to fry frozen croquettes in an air fryer
Frying frozen croquettes in an air fryer is another option if you want to eat healthier, although the results may differ from traditional frying. We tell you how to fry them so that they are golden on the outside and soft on the inside.
Turn on the air fryer and set the temperature to 200ºC, allowing it to heat up for at least 3 minutes. Distribute the croquettes on the tray or basket of the fryer covered with a layer of greaseproof paper. It is essential that you place them in a single layer and that there is space between each one so that you allow adequate air circulation. Spray the croquettes with an oil sprayer.
If they are pre-cooked frozen croquettes, they will need around 12 to 15 minutes to cook. We recommend that you turn them over halfway through cooking so that they cook evenly. However, cooking time may vary depending on the size of the croquettes.
If you are going to fry frozen homemade croquettes in the air fryer, we will change the cooking time so that they are crispy, golden, and soft on the inside. We will let them cook for 10 to 12 minutes and in the same way you should turn them over halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
Tips and tricks for frying frozen croquettes correctly
If you want to achieve the best result, follow our tips and tricks to make your croquettes perfect after frying them.
Heat the oil well
Make sure you preheat the oil to the right temperature before adding the croquettes. The bread trick never fails to check if the oil is hot enough. This will ensure even browning and prevent the croquettes from absorbing too much oil.
Maintain a constant temperature
Control the temperature of the oil throughout the frying process to ensure that the food cooks evenly and to prevent it from absorbing too much oil or burning.
Fry in small batches
If you fry too many croquettes at once, the oil temperature will drop and this will cause the croquettes to become oily. Fry in small batches for best results.
Turn them over halfway through cooking.
Turning the croquettes halfway through cooking with a skimmer will ensure that they brown evenly on all sides.
Drain excess oil
Once the croquettes are fried, remove them from the oil with a skimmer and let them drain on a plate covered with kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Do not keep the croquettes on the paper for too long or they will reabsorb the excess oil.
Serve the freshly made croquettes
In addition to following the advice above, we recommend that you serve the croquettes when they are freshly made and hot so that the flavour and texture are optimal.